Electrophoretic Resolution of Species Boundaries in Tube-Nosed Bats (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

Allozyme variation at 19-34 loci is used in the present study to define species boundaries in Australian and Papuan New Guinean tube-nosed bats. Current systematic accounts for these bats are in part contradictory and do not provide an adequate basis for distinguishing the species. Results obtained from the allozyme electrophoretic analysis of 178 individuals show that there are a minimum of five species of Nyctimene and one of Paranyctimene in the region. A single species of Nyctimene was found in Australia and at least four species of Nyctimene in the north coastal ranges of Papua New Guinea. Paranyctimene was genetically uniform and was found in sympatry with up to three species of Nyctimene over most of its range. While the scientific names of several of the species were determined, the nomenclature of the remainder requires a morphological analysis of the available material, including type specimens.